Meet Jessica Lawrence
Jessica Lawrence | Assistant Vice President for Strategic Interdisciplinary Research
Jessica Lawrence serves as Assistant Vice President for Strategic Interdisciplinary Research in Purdue University’s Office of Research, where she leads a centralized team providing research development and proposal support across the university. Through grant strategy, proposal development, writing support, and institutional coordination, Jessica and the SIR team help faculty pursue large, complex, and strategically important research opportunities across disciplines and career stages.
Jessica brings more than 20 years of experience in higher education, research administration, and consulting. Her career includes senior leadership roles at the University of Chicago and strategy consulting with Deloitte, with experience spanning sponsored research administration, policy and process development, organizational design, and enterprise modernization. At Purdue, she directed the on-time, under-budget implementation of the $10 million Purdue Electronic Research Administration system and has helped guide the development of multiple federal proposals exceeding $100 million.
A Certified Research Administrator and Shipley-certified Capture Management Professional, Jessica is particularly interested in building the institutional capabilities that allow ambitious research to succeed. She is committed to developing talented teams, creating practical tools and processes, and working collaboratively with research development leaders across campus so that Purdue faculty receive coordinated, high-quality support.
“The strongest support comes from bringing together the right people, expertise, and resources around a faculty team. Our role is to help create the conditions in which ambitious research ideas can become competitive proposals.”
— Jessica A. Lawrence
Building Purdue’s Capacity for Ambitious Research
Strategic Interdisciplinary Research works alongside faculty from the earliest stages of an idea through the development and submission of a competitive proposal. Some engagements involve intensive support for major, multidisciplinary initiatives, while others provide focused assistance with strategy, concept development, proposal structure, writing, institutional commitments, or sponsor alignment. The team also develops workshops, tools, internal funding programs, and other resources that extend research development support to faculty across the university.
For Jessica, strong research development depends on collaboration. SIR works with research development professionals, associate deans for research, department and college leaders, pre-award teams, and other partners across Purdue to connect faculty with the right expertise and support. She is equally committed to creating an environment in which SIR staff continue learning, share knowledge, and support one another as they help faculty pursue increasingly complex opportunities.
A Few Questions with Jessica
What was your very first job?
I started working in my early teens, so I can’t point to one job with complete certainty. I held a variety of early jobs, many in customer service, and those experiences taught me the importance of listening, being responsive, and treating people with respect. Those lessons have stayed with me throughout my career.
What is a hobby or interest you have outside of work?
My husband and I started golfing about three years ago, and it has become something we really enjoy doing together. I like that golf is strategic and requires concentration but gives me something completely different from work to focus on.
What are you currently reading, watching, or listening to?
I’m currently reading Mel Robbins’ The Let Them Theory. I’m interested in its focus on recognizing what we can and cannot control, and on being more intentional about where we direct our energy.
What is a place you’ve visited that you would happily return to tomorrow?
I recently visited Key West for the first time and witnessed the ocean release of Timmy, a 270-pound loggerhead sea turtle. I would happily return to Key West, or anywhere along the coast where I might witness something like that again. It was the kind of experience that made me completely forget about my inbox.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Focus your energy on the things you can influence. Much of my career has involved navigating complex organizations, large initiatives, and competing priorities. I’ve learned that meaningful progress comes from investing time and attention where you can make a difference and letting go of things you can’t control.
